2018 World Series Odds: Dodgers-Astros Part II?

We have the odds on whether your favorite team will win the 2018 World Series.

Will the Dodgers redeem themselves after last year’s epic collapse?

Will the Marlins break the record for most losses in a Major League season?

That 2018 Major League Baseball season is beginning to look like déjà vu all over again. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros kept their talented young cores together this winter and are heavily favored to return to the World Series for the second straight year.

Meanwhile, over in the AL East, the Yankees and Red Sox are poised to continue their century-long rivalry thanks to a pair of splashy new additions. The Yankees won the offseason by nabbing NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton in a ballsy four-player trade, while the Red Sox addressed their power shortage by acquiring veteran masher J.D. Martinez.

We’ve analyzed every transaction, injury report and Spring Training update from the past four months and have come up with definitive odds for who will win the 2018 World Series, and which teams will stumble out of the gates (we’re looking at you Miami!) You can also find official odds from our most trusted sportsbooks on our 2018 World Series Odds Tracker.

2018 World Series Odds

Team

Odds

Los Angeles Dodgers

7/1

Houston Astros

8/1

New York Yankees

9/1

Chicago Cubs

12/1

Washington Nationals

14/1

Cleveland Indians

15/1

Boston Red Sox

17/1

San Francisco Giants

20/1

St. Louis Cardinals

20/1

Arizona Diamondbacks

25/1

Los Angeles Angels

27/1

New York Mets

30/1

Milwaukee Brewers

33/1

Minnesota Twins

35/1

Seattle Mariners

40/1

Toronto Blue Jays

40/1

Colorado Rockies

40/1

Texas Rangers

100/1

Tampa Bay Rays

100/1

Baltimore Orioles

100/1

Pittsburgh Pirates

100/1

Philadelphia Phillies

100/1

Chicago White Sox

150/1

Atlanta Braves

150/1

Kansas City Royals

150/1

Oakland A’s

150/1

San Diego Padres

200/1

Cincinnati Reds

300/1

Detroit Tigers

500/1

Miami Marlins

1000/1

Dodgers fans were left with a series of disheartening “what ifs” following the team’s epic collapse in game seven of the World Series. What if Yu Darvish hadn’t tipped his pitches and given up five runs in 1.2 innings? What if Brandon Morrow had come in sooner to stop the bleeding? What if Clayton Keyshaw had started in the first place? The good news is that they’ll likely get a do-over this October.

Kenta Maeda won 13 games for the Dodgers in 2017. Photo by Arturo Pardavila III (Flickr) [CC License]

Darvish signed with the Cubs earlier this month and Kershaw is back as the team’s undisputed ace. He’ll be joined once again by Rich Hill, Alex Wood and Kenta Maeda to form one of the Major’s League’s most fearsome rotations. L.A. should also continue to get All-Star level production from its enviable young core of Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, and Chris Taylor, all of whom are just entering their prime.

In order to win it all, L.A. will once again have to contend with the Astros, who are bringing back the band for their first title defense in franchise history.

In order to win it all, L.A. will once again have to contend with the Astros, who are bringing back the band for their first title defense in franchise history. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Alex Bregman are all 27 or younger, and have demonstrated a knack for delivering on baseball’s biggest stage. The team’s rock-solid rotation also got a big boost this winter with the signing of Gerrit Cole, a former number one draft pick who was an All-Star with the Pirates in 2015. He’ll slot in behind Cy Young winners Dallas Keuchel, and Justin Verlander to give the Astros three aces.

Odds to Meet in the 2018 World Series

Match Up

Odds

Dodgers vs Astros

17/1

Dodgers vs Yankees

19/1

Dodgers vs Indians

11/5

Cubs vs Indians

31/1

Nationals vs Yankees

39/1

Nationals vs Red Sox

75/1

Yup, these guys again. Like it or not, the Dodgers and Astros are on a collision course that will end with one team hoisting the World Series trophy and the other team crying in the dug out. It’s still early, but we believe L.A. will find redemption this year and will take down Houston in another highly charged seven game series.

2017 World Series MVP George Springer saved his best baseball for the postseason. Photo by Keith Allison (Flickr) [CC License]

Odds to Win 100 games

Team

Odds

Los Angeles Dodgers

1/1

Houston Astros

3/2

New York Yankees

13/7

Washington Nationals

3/1

Chicago Cubs

4/1

Cleveland Indians

6/1

Boston Red Sox

7/1

It isn’t uncommon for Major League teams to win 100 games, but it is unusual when three of them do it at the same time. That was the case in 2017 when the Dodgers, Indians, and Astros all defied the odds by topping the century mark. That rare feat could happen again this season thanks to the growing disparity between the league’s haves and have-nots.

L.A. and Houston should continue to feast on the Majors’ bottom dwellers, and don’t be surprised to see New York win 100 games as well. The Bronx Bombers bolstered last year’s 91-win squad by acquiring Giancarlo Stanton, who hammered a career-high 59 homers in 2017 and will pair with Aaron Judge to give the Yankees their most formidable one-two punch since Maris and Mantle. GM Brian Cashman also made a shrewd, if understated, deal this month by acquiring Brandon Drury from the Diamondbacks. The 24-year-old infielder hit .267 with 13 home runs and 67 RBI last season, and will take over at third base for the departed Todd Frazier.

Odds to Lose 100 games

Team

Odds

Miami Marlins

1/2

Detroit Tigers

2/3

Cincinnati Reds

3/2

San Diego Padres

5/2

Oakland A’s

4/1

Kansas City Royals

5/1

Atlanta Braves

5/1

The Yankees, Cardinals, Brewers, and Mariners can all thank the Marlins for improving their title odds. Miami unloaded its starting outfield and three of its top four run producers this offseason in an attempt to shed salary, get younger, and contend in the future. It was an unpopular decision with the team’s rapidly diminishing fan base and it will likely result in the franchise’s second 100-loss season since 2013.

the Tigers began their long and painful rebuild in earnest last season by unloading Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez, Justin Wilson, and Alex Avila.

The Marlins will likely need to make a little room in the Triple Digit Loss Club for the Tigers, who began their long and painful rebuild in earnest last season by unloading Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez, Justin Wilson, and Alex Avila. They’ve since bid adieu to four-time All-Star Ian Kinsler, and will likely consider all offers for future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera, who spent his offseason sparring with his ex-mistress over child support payments. On the positive side, the Tigers will probably still end up with more wins than the Lions.

Odds the Miami Marlins will Break the Major League Record for Most Losses in a Single Season: 100/1

As bad as the Marlins will be this season, they’re unlikely to equal the exploits of the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who lost 40 of their final 41 games and finished the season 20-134. Derek Jeter will come out of retirement long before he allows that to happen.

Ryan Murphy began his love affair with sports journalism at the age of nine when he wrote his first article about his little league baseball team. He has since authored his own column for Fox Sports, and now serves as SBD’s resident NBA and MLB expert.

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